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Capitalism: A Love Story

A Film by Michael Moore

It is now the twentieth anniversary of Michael Moore’s debut, and the gap between rich and poor has only grown worse. Every day brings fresh news of layoffs, foreclosures and financial scandal. The desperate conditions in Flint, Michigan, portrayed in Roger & Me have been replicated across America. Back then, Moore’s target was General Motors. Today it’s the whole system. And he still hasn’t lost his sense of humour.
In Capitalism: A Love Story, Moore is working at the top of his game. The film explores a taboo question: what price does America pay for its love of capitalism? Years ago, that love seemed so innocent. Capitalism meant productivity and security. Now, as financial institutions run amok and families lose their savings, the American dream is looking more like a nightmare. Moore takes us into the lives of ordinary people whose worlds have been turned upside down by the economy, and goes looking for explanations in Washington, D.C., Wall Street and elsewhere. He pays careful attention to the 2008 bank bailout that occurred during the waning days of the Bush administration. Was this really the best hope for America, or just another money grab by the nation’s wealthiest?
– Thom Powers, Toronto International Film Festival